Amber Tears
by Tri-Color
Summary: Before Ethan Mars was targeted there was Amber Goodwin. Scott Shelby never expected that he would fall in love and he certainly never expected he would try to fulfill his need through her.   First story. Reviews are welcome.
1. The Beginning of the End

He would tell her everything tonight and plead her forgiveness. That bastard had left her boys to die and history had repeated itself. It was all his fault, but she loved him and she would forgive him with time.

Scott stared up the flickering light that barely illuminated the rusting metal cage that was groaning it's way up to the fourth floor. Every ride that he had taken in the past year had always made him thankful that he walked out with his life as he crossed onto the moldy rug that barely cushioned the floor of the hallway. The stink of alcohol and cigarettes always made his lungs tighten and it did nothing for his nerves now.

His rain soaked shoes felt like lead and he could feel the noose tightening around his neck as he made his way to the door that sported worn bronze numbers, _403_.  
After a few minutes rooting through his pockets trying to find his keys he briefly felt like God as the deft flick of his wrist caused tumblers to move and the bolt to shift out of the lock. He cautiously opened the door, worried about how he was going to be received after hearing the news of her son's deaths.  
He had to convince her. He had to tell her the truth, show her why he had to do this. Explain to her why he had tried to get that scumbag to realize how to care for her sons because the idiot was their father. She would understand because she loved him, and maybe with her help he could finally find a father that fulfilled his need.  
The unnatural silence that filled the small apartment made him shiver. The apartment felt wrong, and a terribly familiar smell was emanating from the boys' room. Foreboding tingled down his spine and pooled in his stomach as Scott made his way around the threadbare couch.  
"Amber?"  
He called, his timbre voice sounding incredibly small in the empty apartment. Her car had been parked in it's usual spot in the street, so she had to be here. Her shift at the diner didn't start for another hour and he doubted that she would go anywhere after the visit she had had that morning. The door creaked on it's hinges as he pushed it open and his heart clenched at the sight before him.  
A large pool of blood was slowly being absorbed by the comforter of the bottom bunk and as he stood in the door frame his eyes followed the trail of blood that made it's way between his feet and slowly wound it's way to the bathroom.  
"Amber!"  
No longer heeding the somber weight of the rooms, Scott raced to the bathroom, it was no longer silent for the blood pounding in his ears.  
Once upon a time this bathroom was pristine. Tiles bleached white and counters wiped down. The tiles around the bathtub covered by stickers depicting cars and superheroes and a rubber duck sat by the taps. If it had been anyone else's bathroom Scot would have said it was sickeningly cliché.

Now there was a body desecrating the floor, torn up arms shoved in a crimson mess that filled the tub. There was no rise and fall of a constricting and relaxing diaphragm that signaled life and the skin that covered still muscle and bone was too pale.  
If someone drained the diluted blood from the tub they would find a knife and, if that someone took prints from that knife they would find hers all over it. There was no foul play and no gun to her head.  
Amber had killed herself. Not because she had been threatened, or because she was some hormonal teenager who wanted escape.

It was because of him, and his needs. He might as well have slit her throat.

Scott tried to shake away the shock that was freezing his body and stumbled backwards, hitting the hallway wall and sliding to his knees.  
He had wanted to apologize. He had wanted forgiveness. She had loved him.  
Yet there she was, broken and dead. Had her last thoughts been heartbreak and emptiness?

Or had it been on him, and that day many months ago when they had first met?


	2. Today was Not Her Day

~12 Months Earlier~

Scott used the café to watch Brian Salisbury trek home from school. Brian's father worked at a bar called 'The Prancing Cera' every night and spent all of his free time with his son. Today's society would call him a 'dedicated father'. Scott wondered if he would measure up. Part of him shook with anticipation of the hunt, the chase. Over the years he had grown to love the wonderful game of leading desperate fathers down the rabbit hole, seeing their hopes and spirits crushed as they entered his sick wonderland.  
The broken, lonely part of him hoped this would be the one. He could stop and find his peace. Maybe take what little money he had and get out of this place and away from the memories. Maybe his nightmares would leave him alone and he could sleep.  
He snorted into his coffee. Yeah, and maybe pigs would start flying and _maybe_ money might appear up his ass.

He would put on his old police uniform at the beginning of next week and then he would see how far this father would go. His very reliable weather guy said it would rain for a fortnight, so it worked out perfectly.  
Almost everything was in place, all he had left to do was anonymously mail the key to the father and then he could sit back and watch what dominos this father would choose to fall. The last one had almost made it, but obviously his life was more important than his son's and the boy had been found the next day with orchid and origami in hand.  
He tossed down a buck fifty and trudged out of the café into the heavy rain. Mothers chased their children down streets, trying to get some semblance of order in an attempt to maintain the tykes' health.  
Scott easily maneuvered around them, pulled his coat collar up and his hat down. It was in the process of putting his head down that he managed to slam straight into a woman carrying several grocery bags.

It was not Amber's day. Her nine to three o'clock shift at the café had ended late, so she had had less sleep than usual. Nathan had another nightmare and since she had not been home it had been up to her other son, Reed, to try and calm his twin. She had been two minutes away from taking a day off from her cashier morning job and let them all get some much-needed rest.  
However, today was not her day.

The grocery was short staffed already and the manager had offered to pay her overtime if she came in. Her very empty fridge told her she needed the money so her unhappy boys walked to school. After another late ending shift she picked up food and necessities and steeled herself to walk her wet children home. She was going to be late, again. Her coat was barely keeping the chill off and her legs were frozen as she approached the school.  
Reed and Nathan looked at her with identical expressions of kicked puppies, bags under their blue eyes. Regardless of whether it was cool or not at the age of ten, they relied at what little stability their only parent gave them. Amber's own brown eyes shone with an apology as she pulled their coats closed and their hoods up. After they took a few of the bags from her she leant down with a smile,  
"I know I'm late, but we're having pizza tonight to celebrate the long weekend".  
This put a grin on the boys' faces and a bit more skip in their step. They were often left to wait for their mom, but she rarely apologized with more than her words.  
"Thanks mom!"  
"You're the best! Are we gonna get pepperoni-"  
"-Or cheese?"  
"Naw Nath, let's get pineapple and ham!"  
Their mother stepped in before things could escalate as they turned onto the street with the café she worked at on it.  
"We're getting a large pineapple and pepperoni pizza, which is what we always have. No arguments, it's what you two will want anyway".  
This silenced both boys and they nodded in agreement when she turned to give them each 'the mother glare'. She smiled internally, knowing that in a few years they would become immune to such looks. If it had been any other day then the Goodwin's would have gone home, enjoyed their pizza and gone to bed early.

However, today was not Amber's day.

As she was fixing her boys with her glare, a hulking figure crashed into her and the grocery bags went flying.  
~

Grocery bags flew out of her hands, and it was only his years of having to react quickly that he caught the bag that had an egg carton shape to it. While he made the save he briefly wondered what persona would work best to diffuse this situation. His instincts had already kicked in though, and apologies were coming out of his mouth, something about how it was his fault and he hoped nothing was ruined.  
The usual words that disarmed women, and they didn't seem to be working.  
"Watch where you're going buddy! What is it? Am I too insignificant in that little head of yours for you to notice that I'm walking here?"  
His eyebrows rose at the red head in front of him and he noticed that the boys on either side of her were looking at her with equal amounts of shock and horror. Clearly today had not been this woman's day.  
"Listen, it wasn't intentional and I'm sorry, there's no need to get like that… Can I help you to your home in way of an apology?"  
He was trying to be liked now, another little game he played with the flocks he prowled through. He thought it would a definite win until,  
"Oh yes, strange man who can't see where he's going, I'd love to invite you to my home so you can stalk me later on"  
Mistake number one was bumping into her in the first place, that couldn't be helped now. However, mistake number two was easy,  
"The name is Scott Shelby ma'am, I'm a police officer"  
He flashed his now very outdated badge that he kept on him for times like this and her hackles seemed to go down slightly. A policeman was someone to trust, someone who merely wanted to help you. She finally seemed to notice he had saved her eggs and that the bags of milk she had been carrying had managed to break all down his rain soaked shirt.  
He heard a small sigh and he knew he had won.

She leant to down to continue picking up the bags around her and he crouched down to help.  
"I'm sorry officer, it's just that you're not in uniform and it's been a really long day. We just want to get home and enjoy the weekend"  
She explained, running a stressed hand through her hair before grabbing up as much as she could.  
He smiled in understanding and rose with most of the bags distributed between his meaty hands,  
"I get wanting to go home, this rain is getting heavier. Let's get to your place, fast"

She nodded curtly and proceeded to lead them along a few streets. By the time the group sidled into the tiny hallway that lead to an elevator they were soaked and shivering. He turned to her expectantly as they reached the elevator and she punched the number four hard enough that she winced.  
As the clunky metal beast creaked upwards he idly asked her what her name was, and the names of her sons.  
The boys looked up at him and smiled, and he was hit with an ache in his chest as he remembered his own brother. These boys were different in appearance, but they were still leaning on each other for a support a parent could never offer. The looks they had shared on the way over made Scott wonder if it was just the three of them and, if so, where the father was.

He shook himself to stop his train of thought and listen to one of the boys, who had started talking.  
"I'm Reed, and that's my brother Nathan. We're ten and our mom's name is Amber but we just call her mom", he finished with a smile that was missing a few teeth. The other boy nudged him and glared before turning and quietly adding,  
"You can't call her that though, Ms. Goodwin is probably better for a policeman".  
Some part of Scott wanted to snarl is satisfaction. Finally, it seemed that one of the three had felt that there was something off about him, but since Nathan appeared to be the quietest of them it was of little consequence.  
'Ms. Goodwin' had turned a glare of her own at the cold little boy and then flashed an apologetic smile to Scott as the elevator groaned to a juddering halt.  
They hurried out and the first thing that hit Scott was the god-awful smell. Smokes and alcohol, lovely place for kids to grow up.  
Then again, his own childhood hadn't been much better.  
They moved along until reaching one of the battered doors that read 403 in worn bronze letters. Ms. Goodwin fumbled for keys and a moment later the door opened.


	3. Bloodhound

"You know Mr. Shelby, it seems a little odd you enjoy the coffee here so much", Amber remarked and she served him another cup of what the café passed off as it's home brew. The woman was sure that coffee wasn't meant to be that watery, and yet it was all her newest frequent customer would order. He would merely sit in the window seat and watch the rain, holding the cup tightly in his fingers. Maybe he was absorbing the warmth, but by the time he would leave and she came to clear his table the mug was always empty.  
Mirth showed in the man's eyes as he glanced up at her and half of his mouth quirked up as he replied, "Maybe it's not the coffee I come to enjoy".  
Scott enjoyed ambiguous statements. He could mean exactly what people thought, that he was complimenting the waitress that he had accidentally met last week, or he could mean that he enjoyed the pale look on Jeremy Salisbury's face as he left the school grounds. The man would have been told that during lunch break the kids had gone out to play and his son had simply never returned.

Amber raised an eyebrow and followed the man's eyes as they turned to the children walking away from the schoolyard.  
"I sure hope you're not kid watching, I have problems with that" She commented, keeping her voice cool but the threat was there. The mother in her often struggled with showing itself, but children in danger always did the trick.  
Scott quickly barked out a laugh, she was close.  
"Relax Amber, I'm a cop remember? It's easier for me to feel like the future is being taken care of when I'm looking out for it", He motioned to the children, "It would have been nice if I had had someone ready to come to the rescue when I was that age".  
The last remark was bitter, and the edge to it made Amber back off, along with the reassurance that yes, he was watching children but no, he wasn't going to kidnap one of them and kill them.

A few minutes after she had walked off to deal with some customers that had come in, requesting curly fries and two cheeseburgers, she noticed his table was empty and the usual five-dollar bill slapped down. If he kept on strolling in like he had every day this week she'd become rich off of his tips. Coffee was only a buck, which was still overpriced considering it's incredible similarity to dishwater.  
However, after that day the police started to come in to inquire about the whereabouts of a boy from the school. Reed knew the boy from the neighborhood soccer team, but no one had seen him since the morning before. Amber told them they should ask one Scott Shelby, he had been watching the school doors around the time of the incident. The officers were slightly surprised, but they seemed to know the man she was talking about. When they left the worried pit in her stomach didn't fade, but at least she knew she might have helped find the boy.

That damn woman had ratted him out! This was why he gave out fake names. This was why he didn't talk to people. This was why he faded into the background.  
When the two guys had cornered him at work, all vim and vinegar, trying to find out why he was watching kids off duty he had had to think fast. The answer he had given Amber wasn't good enough for a cop. However, she had somehow become the answer this time. The lie that he was trying to get into the sweet waitress' pants was sugar sweet and well received by the younger cops. They quickly became all back slaps and giggles. It made Scott want to be sick.  
It had taught him something, next time he couldn't stay in a comfortable location for any amount of time. Apparently he had become memorable, though he had never had that problem in the past.  
Stupid woman, why would she bother paying him so much attention? It must have been the previous contact, he decided, or that women made everything more complicated. Interrupting the constant cycle of worthless fathers and lost souls of the boys. He left work wanting nothing more than a scotch and some aspirin.

"What did I tell you yesterday Reed?" A voice demanded hotly from the kitchenette. A pair of blue eyes rolled as a sigh of exasperation left the boy's mouth.  
"Come on mom, I know the rules! No talking to strangers, trust policemen… yada yada yada. I know! So why can't I go outside?", by now Reed had gone from asking, to pleading, to begging and was now on his last rope, whining. He knew that if he bugged his mother enough that one of two things would happen. He would be outside playing soccer with the other boys, or he'd be sent to his room and forced to consume various types of disgusting vegetables over a period of time. It all depended on how annoyed she was.  
"You know there's no point, after what happened to Brian no one's allowed out anymore", Nathan muttered from his perch on the sofa arm. Reed glared at his twin, but the look was wasted because his brother's attention was once more focused solely on the gameboy screen he was viewing through his long fringe.  
Amber steam rolled out of the kitchen as Reed opened his mouth to try once more, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to her room.  
Nathan sniggered quietly as he watched his brother's expression of horror. They were only ever taken to their mother's room when they were in real trouble.  
As their mother's voice filtered through the crumbling walls Nathan saved his game and went to the kitchen. He did his very best to block out his mother's voice, the tone triggering guilt in his chest and nausea in his gut. Or maybe that was what Reed was feeling, and their wires were getting crossed again. That's what their mother called it, when the twins shared feelings.

Tonight was a rare night for the Goodwin trio, dinner was freshly made and ready to be eaten by six o'clock. Usually the boys were left to eat some form of leftovers or microwave dinners while their mother worked. This week Amber finally had hit her limit with her workplaces, and had requested her monthly two days off from both establishments. Yesterday she had spent the day sleeping while they had gone to school, and the boys had had the pleasure of their mother coming to get them on time, with umbrellas. Today when they had arrived home from school the apartment had gone through it's monthly clean and once more smelled of clothing detergent, windex and their mother's chocolate chip cookies. Reed enjoyed it when their mother felt guilty about leaving them, and usually made good use of milking it when he could. Nathan sighed as he spooned out three plates of their meal,  
"But mom-", a voice wheedled from the other room.  
"But nothing young man! I've told you it's not safe out there anymore. Until the rain stops you're not allowed out and that's final", His mother growled and Nathan watched her door open as he set the table. Amber stalked out, running a hand through her hair and rolling her eyes at Nathan. Her 'younger' son let one side of his mouth rise in an almost smile and shrugged his shoulders as Reed came out pouting and sullen. The dinner table was silent that evening, but they didn't dwell on the feelings long, and once the dishes were done they sat down to make out the last hour of the soccer match playing on their little television.  
Amber shuddered as she ran a hand through Nathan's long hair and rubbed Reed's shoulder with the other. She refused to let anything happen to her boys, and she couldn't bear thinking about what would happen if she were in the Salisbury's shoes right now.

Scott brooded over his scotch as he watched the rain fall that evening. He had to plan his next move carefully. Suddenly stopping his current daily visits to the café would make his fellow officers suspicious now that he had 'admitted' to wanting to get Ms. Goodwin in bed. However, he could come up with a similarly decent line in about a week that she had two kids and a husband kicking around somewhere and he would tap something with fewer strings attached. Scott didn't want to get too complex, and the idea of trying to come up with anything more sexual than that lie made him feel slightly sick. Yes, he was a psycho that murdered children, didn't mean that he had no morals. Poor woman didn't deserve to have cops leering at her, and the café she working at was going to be a focus of attention for a while due to its closeness to where Brian Salisbury was taken.  
The kid had come along willingly though, Scott smirked and his eyes took on a touch more of the shadows around them. It had been so easy! Sometimes he would have to come up with convincing stories, but this time the boy had come to the tubby police officer and gone with him with very few questions. Scott had only had to mention the boy's father, and it had been hook, line and sinker. He would have to remember that for next time, mention that the kid's father is at the station and needs to see the boy right away and bam, easy victim.

Though somewhere inside he knew he wouldn't use that lie again. It made the chase too easy, and even though the broken part of him wanted to be fixed the darker part of him relished the different challenges. People were always different, made equal but never acting the way Scott planned. It made things interesting. It made manipulating their little hive minds so much more satisfying when they put up a fight.  
The rain would clear up by next week, and it would be a good few months before the season started up again. Spring was over, the kids would get out of school by June and he could start hunting by July. Everything would be prepared by August, and then the rainy season would start. Maybe by then parents would have forgotten Brian Salisbury, or become so annoyed at their brats that the children would be allowed out again. Once that happened, he would have his next candidate tested before school started. Maybe… Maybe next time someone would step up. Maybe Scott could convince a father to do what was right. However, he somewhat doubted it, and the chase would go on until he died, or someone stopped him. Whichever came first.  
He rose from his worn leather chair, and turned away from the window. He trudged the short distance to his bedroom, and fell in. He would get the scotch glass in the morning.  
His mind turned once again to Amber Goodwin. Maybe he would put on a show for the next week, actually make it look like he was making an effort in case anyone was still suspicious of him. He smirked, she wasn't bad looking and she seemed more intelligent than the average waitress. It couldn't hurt, just to throw them off of his scent again.

The next morning Scott blearily rose from his bed, took a puff of his asthma medication and tossed back the two aspirin he left by his bedside whenever he got in the mood to drink more than one scotch. He donned his police uniform and hopped into his beige Cadillac. After he had tossed off his trench coat and been debriefed he headed over to his station where his partner was waiting for him, a skeptical expression on his face.  
"Alright Carl?", Scott asked, taking the coffee that was in the other man's hand and taking in as much of the delicious liquid as he could. This was gold compared to the piss he forced himself to down at the café this last while.  
Carl Wightman narrowed his eyes at his partner and the scowl was well formed on his mouth before he opened it,  
"Don't 'Alright Carl' me buddy. What's this I hear about yous finding yourself a dame huh? Forget ta mention that ta your partner? This where you been going Shelby, instead of watchin' the game with your ol' pal Carl?".  
Scott blanched, then turned to his partner. This was the real challenge. This was what made the day fun. Carl Wightman was snarky, Bostonian and incredibly skeptical on the best of days. The smirk was spread across Scott's face and he turned and leaned against his desk next to his partner.  
"Thing is Wightman, she's… Well, she's good to look at and I won't feel like I'm screwing someone who's young enough to be my daughter. 'Sides, might become something mo-"  
"Cut the crap Scotty boy. That bs may work on the rookies, but I've never seen you turn your head at a woman for almost ten years. This ain't for a one night stand bucko, that's what prostitutes are for. So. What're yous hanging around that café for huh?"  
Scott's smirk grew, alright Amber was no longer the answer. Time for a better lie, one that would be hook, line and sinker. He leaned in closer to his partner's ear,  
"This one ain't for the birds to hear Carl, get it? I got an anonymous tip right? Some random call sayin' that I should be watching the school out there. It said… Said there would be heavy rain, and… orchids. Said to come alone, or there'd be more than one this time". He finished, now at a whisper. His partner's eyes widened and Scott could hear the man's teeth grinding.  
"You tellin' me that someone told you the Origami Killer would be hittin' that school and yous didn't tell nobody?", Carl hissed, "Some poor family's out there mournin' cause you didn't have the balls ta tell us?". Accusing eyes now wanted an explanation, but Scott knew it was coming and pushed his next piece into place.  
"I saw someone go in though Carl. I was watching that place for days, seeing who was going in, going out and who was doing what. I saw someone, got a photograph of him and his plates. Don't you see? Maybe we can catch this kid killer, sick bastard that he is." He finished, a feral smile showing his pearly whites.  
Carl's eyes had narrowed again, but a grim smile was now stretched across his face too. The Origami Killer, M.O. was obvious. The boys were always found in a deserted field with their faces covered in mud, holding a white orchid in one hand and an origami figure of a dog in the other. Drowned with rainwater. The murders didn't happen frequently, usually one every two years. Enough time that the public didn't wig that the police hadn't found the guy yet. A mysterious serial killer for sure, and dead quick as far as Carl was concerned. That was the only reason he and Scott hadn't caught the bastard yet.

Scott nodded his head towards the labs, "I'm betting they're done developing, let's find whoever this is and squish him like a bug".  
Anyone who saw the two figures moved out of their way quickly, and Scott was glad for it. Carl was like a dog with a scent, and he'd go crazy at the first sign of someone trying to stop him now. Obviously the person and the plates he had snapped weren't the Origami Killer, but he had done a little research and this guy fit the role of Origami Killer. He was a pedo who had dabbled in kidnapping in murdering his object of obsession. The idiot deserved to go to jail for being so obvious that another predator could see him so easily. Even if they didn't manage to get him as a serial killer, the guy would be in jail and would probably never come back out.  
Meanwhile, his bloodhound of a partner had been distracted and placated. Scott was safe for another day and he was saved from having to waste his time going back to the café.

The diner was brightly lit, the white neon light washing out the brighter colors and making the two waitresses working the place seem almost sickly pale. The smell of slowly burning pots of coffee and greasy food caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise and his nose to curl in disgust. Amber didn't seem to be working today, but there was only one other customer in the joint. The poor guy seemed to be nursing a hangover, as he was hunched over a cup of coffee and had sunglasses jammed onto his face. He might've been shaking, if Scott wanted to look harder. Scott wasn't interested, Amber wasn't here. What the hell was he doing back?

He was a supposed hero, the guy who almost caught the Origami Killer. Too bad the suspect, Eric Mahoney, was found with a noose around his neck and no signs of foul play when they busted into his apartment. Pure coincidence really, Scott smirked. Poor bastard didn't see it coming, especially when Scott revealed the truth of his character after pounding in poor Eric's door. Good ol' Eric didn't even see it coming when Scott snapped on his latex gloves and strangled the bastard with the nylon rope. An hour later Eric's neck snapped and Scott left without a sound or sight. Nobody saw him go in, nobody saw him leave and he had a great alibi. Or at least, he had a prostitute who lied for easy money. No suicide note, no warning and it wasn't like ol' Eric had any friends he might've been chatting up. Being a social outcast and a pedo stopped a person from making too many friends.

It also helped that the police knew he wasn't a part of the community of straight-laced workers that filled this city. They didn't even bother to investigate, it was open and shut with a prayer sent up that this guy was the Origami Killer. Let them approach the next rainy season without fear that another child would die. The only message the Chief of Police wanted to give the public was: "Relax; your children are safe once more". It was sort of adorable, how desperate people were to have everything be normal and safe.

Scott mentally shrugged and left without ordering. No point in staying if she wasn't there. He wanted to know why she had ratted him out. He wanted to know why she remembered him when no one else would. It wasn't normal. People didn't care about him; people didn't see him and Scott Shelby blended into the crowd because the crowd was a great hunting ground. People, normal people, feel safe in a crowd. They feel like a unit and they stop remember that there's always someone on the prowl. Being part of a crowd makes people brave and Scott knew that all bravery did was make people stupid.


	4. Incomplete Records

Disclaimer: Scott Shelby and Carter Blake are property of Sony, this is a non-profit work of fanfiction. Any other characters are mine.

The note wrung out in the air and defiance showed in the chord that followed it. Soon a melancholic, legato tune was struck up. Like a lone soldier, it was fighting against the silence of the room. The song, if anyone had been listening, did not cast one back to happy times of plenty and comrades. If one could bare the soul of the player they would see that there was no yearning for better times. The fingers running along ebony and ivory knew only death and the heart behind them was not known for mercy. Scott's most peaceful moments were spent behind this piano, fighting the silence. Fighting the screams for help in his dreams and the sightless eyes of children that followed him into the waking world. It was ironic, even in peace he was fighting. However, today his thoughts were turning in a slightly brighter direction, to the woman who had remembered him. He wondered if she worked on Tuesday, it was his day off. Until then he was set to prowling the streets with Blake, purging the city while the sun was shining. Maybe he could convincer her to sit down so he could analyze her properly. Obviously he had missed something in his first assessment.

He hadn't come in for days she thought idly as she slotted two plates in front of faceless customers. Amber had mentioned this a few times to Janet, her fellow co-worker on the floor of the café. Janet had rolled her eyes and said it was typical for Amber to finally start paying attention to someone of the opposite sex, only for it to be some older guy who probably had the emotional range of cardboard. Amber had countered that Janet, in her mid 30's had little right to judge. The other woman drooled over celebrities several years her junior, all because of their 'hot bods'. At least Amber wasn't staring at the stars and ignoring the world around her. At shift change Amber let Janet go when the first girl came in to relieve them. The two that took the next shift were young and lazy. One of them was always late so the elder waitresses took turns to change shift first. "Hey uh… Amber right?", A bored voice broke Amber's thoughts. She turned to the gum chewing girl with a forced smile, "That's me, what do you need?" The younger waitress maddeningly smacked her gum before proceeding, "There was this guy in the other day. He was like, asking for you or something…" Amber did her best not to grind her teeth, why was the girl only mentioning this now? "Did he leave his name?", Amber asked, now speaking like she would to a child. "mm", another smack of gum, "nope, but he was a cop" she concluded before walking away with a swish of long, blonde hair to go greet the other part time waitress who had strolled in. "You're almost fifteen minutes late Bianca", Amber snapped, her eye now twitching in annoyance as the girls rolled their eyes in tandem. Giving up, she pulled her coat on and grabbed her purse. She was going to have to deal with the babysitter whining about being late, again. All she could think as she left the face was that she was damn glad had had boys. She didn't think she could have handled it if her own teenage girls acted like rude bimbos.

Scott had come prepared to wait. Blake thought he was crazy, because Scott had told him the truth about what he was doing with his weekend. His partner warned him that a restraint order would not look great on Scott's record, and "this broad probably wouldn't enjoy bein' stalked by a fat cop". Well, Scott wasn't stalking her per se, he was just curious. Yes, that was all it was, curiosity. He sat down at his usual table, ordered a plate of fries and a water, then sat down to read until she came in. He would wait all day if he had to. He didn't have to wait long to be interrupted from his book, as the waitress who gave him his food tapped his on the shoulder. Looking up, he saw it wasn't one of the younger waitresses. Her name tag read 'Janet', and she had a suspicious look in her blue eyes. "Are you Scott by any chance?", her voice rasped in her throat, probably a smoker. No ring on her finger, cheap shoes but her hair was clean and neat. Cared about her appearance, couldn't afford much more than that. Makeup looked to be good quality though and her clothes were clean so Scott slotted her into middle class, single woman status. He'd forget about her quickly, he decided. No one important. "Yes, that's my name. May I help you… Ms. Janet?" He made sure to quickly pause at her name, didn't want her to think he was leering but also wanted her to know she wasn't why he was here. "Yeah, you stalking Amber? I know you're a cop, but she doesn't need some guy following her to work. She's got kids you know, probably not your type", Janet stated, her eyes working to be hard and her posture was working on attempting to be intimidating. It wasn't working. He laughed, and his relaxed his posture. "I've met her boys and they seemed pretty smart. I bumped into her a couple of weeks ago and helped her out, she seems real nice and this is the only place I know that she goes. I've been trying to get her number and a dinner date, and I don't remember where she lives", he turned his torso towards her. She needed to stop thinking of him as a threat. However, the lie about the date had thrown her. He actually hadn't meant to say that part, maybe that was what he would do. Janet was smirking now, "Alright hun, I'll buy that. Amber should be here in about a half hour. You need anything else?" He shook his head and she moved on, plastering a smile on her face as more customers came in for the lunch hour rush. Well, dinner would certainly give him a better chance to figure her out he decided. He found himself looking forward to it, but that would assume that she said yes. Ms. Goodwin had two children, so it might not work out. He frowned at the thought, and tried to go back to reading his book. Eight minutes had passed and Scott found himself stuck on the same sentence. The book was one that Blake had tossed at him the other day, said that it was bearable so maybe Scott would like it. At least this time is wasn't a porn novel but the large amounts of scientific crap were only good for a late night and a glass of scotch. Scott allowed his mind to wander to the next place he would scope out his father. He had gone through the recent divorce files, looking for a father that had taken a son but that hadn't brought up any matches. Damn mothers usually took the children. He couldn't use a school again, too soon. They'd have schools set up curfews and police would have to start walking gangs of kids home. A great challenge, but it would just get in the way in the long run. Yes… He might check hospital records next, follow a newly recovered son and see what would happen. He hadn't tried that in a while, not since Paul Jordans. That hadn't worked too well, the boy had drowned too quickly since he had been weak from a bad fight with bronchitis. Maybe if he found a boy now, and waited until the next rain season he would be well enough for the challenge… He did want the father to have some fighting chance. This wasn't completely slaughter for the sake of it.

As Amber tuned out the annoying bell that rang out as she opened the door to the café Janet motioned her over with a smirk on her face. "Your cop is over there, he's been waiting very patiently for you Amber. I think you'd better go over there and clear whatever this is up… I'll hold the fort", Janet whispered as Amber pulled on her apron. Amber resisted the urge to roll her eyes while also trying to stop the smile from coming onto her face. So he had come back and if Janet's smug smirk was anything to go by then she had interrogated him before Amber's arrival and was expecting some sort of positive outcome. She slid into the seat across from him and quietly looked him over, no uniform today. It might be his day off, which made her smile widen slightly. He had come to see her on his day off? Waited for her too, from the looks of the book sitting by his elbow. She coughed lightly, to bring him out of whatever mind space he was in, staring out of the window. His hazel eyes focused in and turned on her. He smiled, quickly recognizing her. "Hullo Ms. Goodwin, I'm glad I finally caught you", he started. "Yes, apparently you had to go up against the wit of our two part-timers, I'm sorry about that" she smirked. He winced at the mention of the café's resident bimbos, "Yes, very… charming young ladies. I sometimes dread what society will be like once they rule the world", he drawled and she shuddered. This was a little awkward, but maybe easing him into why he was here was better than being blunt. If the signals she was getting were right, it would be bad to scare him off.

Scott looked at her with mock seriousness, "Actually, Ms. Goodwin there's a reason why I'm here", he began again but his eyes had humor in them. He watched as her smile widened before she pulled her features into a frown. "This sounds serious Mr. Shebly, what seems to be the problem?" "Well Ms. Goodwin, it seems our records on you are incomplete. I require your telephone number, if you'd be so kind", he said, letting a smile seem to start to fight it's way onto his face. Her frown also started to crumble as she pulled out a pen and proceeded to start scribbling numbers onto a spare napkin. "That is indeed a problem Mr. Shelby, why is it that you'll be needing to contact me?", she murmured, still trying to sound serious but he could see the grin pulling her lips up. He spoke now, while she was still writing, "Well Ms. Goodwin, I'm going to need it to contact you to find out when I can take you out for dinner. It's integral you see", With this she looked up at him with both eyebrows raised. "Why is it that you think I'll be accepting that invitation Mr. Shelby?" She asked coolly, but she was still smiling so hopefully she hadn't taken offense. He shrugged and popped a fry into his mouth, before swallowing quickly. Damn thing was cold. "It's no guarantee, but I would like to take you out sometime, find out about you. The usual date stuff", he was trying to be smooth, but he could actually feel his hands getting a little clammy. He hadn't asked a woman out in a long time, and the last time had been to a work function. He was pretty sure he had paid her to go too, which didn't help matters now. Her smile softened slightly, and he saw with interest that she had started to blush, "Well, as long as it's the usual date stuff and not the abnormal date stuff, I'd love to go. Maybe you'll throw food and something about you in that deal?", She was trying to flirt, maybe she hadn't gone out in a long time either. Great, this would either be really easy, or incredibly awkward Scott decided. He smiled back and pocketed the napkin with her number on it, "I'll call you to get the details, but food and stuff sounds good. Talk to you soon Amber, now I'll take my leave before your friend over there decides I actually am stalking you. Great person, by the way and very protective." He snickered as Amber groaned and shot a glare at her co-worker. "I wondered why she looked so smug when I came in. She's really nice usually… Just…" "Protective", he finished for her. He rose quickly and waved as he left. Yes, it was probably too informal and too hasty a retreat but he had started to realize how far out of his depth he was when it came to talking to anyone other than Blake. He needed to figure this out a little bit better, but at least he had his answer.

Somehow she was attracted to him, which would be why she had remembered him. As he pulled his coat around him to keep out the spring wind he found himself smiling. Odd, since no one was around but it had been nice to talk to a human being who didn't seem like the cattle he usually dealt with. Refreshing would be the most accurate word and now he knew that it hadn't been a mistake on his part. Next time he was victim watching he wouldn't have to worry, she was the first woman in almost thirty years that had noticed him in any romantic way. Scott decided he'd go buy a pizza and surprise Blake with some beer and food. Maybe that way Carter would forgive him for needing to talk about his crush like a teenage girl. Doubtful, but he could at least try to get a leg up without sounding like a pansy.

Author's Note: Hello anyone reading this, reviews and criticisms are welcome. This story is not beta'd so I apologize for any mistakes. I hope you're enjoying this so far!


	5. Plans and First Dates

Disclaimer: Scott Shelby and Carter Blake are property of Qauntic Dream. All other characters belong to me. This story is a non profit work of fanfiction.

Blake hadn't been kidding when he had said Scott hadn't shown interest in a woman in ten years. In fact, Constable Shelby could stand in a court of law and say he had honestly never been attracted to a woman in his life. He wasn't gay, he just wasn't interested. There were more important things than women. Sure, he'd pay for some sex, but that was to keep him efficient. A distracted mind was a caught mind, he chanted.  
His palms were sweating and he was standing in front of his closet trying to figure out what a middle aged man wore on a date. He had been there for the past twenty minutes and was still in his boxers and socks. His hands sought out the one pair of jeans he owned for the few times Blake decided he wanted a barbeque party. The material felt rough as he pulled them on, and then laced his black leather belt through them. He noted with satisfaction that they were loose, he'd lost weight since he had last had to wear them.

Socks and shoes were easy, and that left him trying to find a shirt that was both 'casual' and 'classy'. What bullshit. This would have been easier if Scott had such a shirt clearly identified in his closet. Each part of his attire was for a specific personality set. Even the New England Patriots shirt he owned was just to shut Blake up when they watched games on the tube. Scott couldn't care less about sports, but he was a middle aged man. The only middle aged men who didn't enjoy sports were homosexual or whipped. He was neither, nor was he looking to don that kind of reputation. Maybe if he ever needed an excuse to move quickly, but only as a last resort.  
He glanced at the clock and saw he only had five more minutes before he had to brush his teeth and get the hell out of there. Otherwise he would be late, and Scott Shelby would rather be damned to the fiery pits of a church choir loft than be late.  
He looked over his work event shirts, closed his eyes and grabbed the first hanger he could get his hand on. Long sleeved button up, a dark grey color that wasn't meant to stand out. That was just fine. He rolled the sleeves up to make it seem more casual and got out as fast as he could. His hand slipped on the key as he tried to lock the door, noting sweaty palms as he gave up and just ran to the car.  
He could do this, he thought to himself. This was the easy part, get there.

She couldn't do this. A date. With a man. She hadn't looked at a man since Lukas, hadn't had the time to reach out to someone else while she was raising the boys. They were her men, more important than anything else. Now she was putting them to bed early, hoping that this wouldn't be a total catastrophe. That this wasn't a mistake.  
She had donned the only dress she owned that wasn't a work uniform and used what little makeup she had to touch up her face. Finally she had put on some panty hose and black flats. Amber didn't know where they were going and she didn't know if he had a normal car besides his cop car. She hoped he wasn't one of those men who used their station wagon to intimidate people after shifts. She'd drop him faster than a lead weight and move on quickly if that was the case. No point in getting attached to another jerk.  
She pulled self consciously at the short sleeves of her dress. Simple, black and down to her knees. Something Janet had told her to buy 'just in case'. Well, she was going to have to thank the other woman for her wisdom. Everything else she owned was either house wear, work clothes or jeans and one blouse. None of which were good for a date. The neck of the dress fell a little lower than what she was used to, but maybe that was a good thing part of her decided. Maybe it was good that she was getting out there, doing something new. Those self help columns that the bimbos at the café read always spouted about 'breaking out of comfort zones' and 'discovering the new you!'. Though at thirty two she wasn't much interested in finding out about a 'new her'. She wasn't interested in changing, thank you very much. The clear gloss on her nails caught the shine of the light as she anxiously paced her apartment. He would come to get her, he had said. Come to the door and knock like a gentleman for a late dinner at eight thirty. The boys had protested at the early curfew that had been imposed, but she had ordered them to bed and would lock the door behind her.

She had almost gone for the phone four different times to cancel in the fifteen minutes it took to wait for the clock to inch towards eight thirty. She couldn't do this. She didn't know anything about this man. Did they have anything in common? She tried to think back, he drank crap coffee and didn't complain. Great, a fountain of knowledge. She squinted as she thought further back, he had had a book with him. He liked to read perhaps. She hadn't read a book in years. He was a middle aged man, possibly interested in some form of sports. If it was soccer she was in luck. She understood enough of the game that she could have a conversation about that. He was a cop, she was a waitress. Why had she agreed to this again?  
Her worry escalated until a two light raps sounded. Amber jumped and pushed back her hair in a stressed motion. Damn it! Her hair! She had completely forgotten to do anything with it, simply brushing it along with her teeth before she had gotten dressed.  
Too late now, she decided and squared her shoulders before walking over to the door and checking the peephole. One could never be too careful. There he was, dark shirt tucked into jeans and dress shoes peeking out underneath. His form mostly hidden under his brown trench coat, Scott appeared to be looking directly into her eyes. He quirked an eyebrow, as if he knew she was staring, then shifted his gaze. The break in eye contact made her unlock the door and lift it open, trying to avoid scrapping it against the floor incase the boys had actually gone to sleep.

"Good evening Mr. Shelby", she started, a small smile on her face. Her heart was racing, she was more nervous than she should have been. Lioness when protecting her children, great dictator when disciplining them and cowering flower when faced with a date. How old was she?

Casual, classy and effective use of makeup. His mind ticked off the generic things in his mind as a smile automatically grew over his blank expression. He had felt her eyes on him, and he hoped that she approved of his dress choice. Well, hoped was a bit of an exaggeration, but if she didn't believe that he was taking it seriously then she wouldn't be impressed. Some part of him murmured that it would have been better to play the jerk and have her forget him, but she had caught his interest.  
"Please, call me Scott. You look wonderful Ms. Goodwin, shall we go?", she was nervous. Her pupils had contracted enough to appear panicked, her smile was a little too wide. Maybe it had been a long time for her too. Better, perhaps, to get her in a familiar setting and go slowly. Though whether that was for his benefit or hers, he wasn't sure.  
Her shoulders lost some of their tense look though and she nodded her consent and grabbed her coat. He allowed her to walk past, the followed into the elevator. He made sure that they weren't too close in the enclosed space, in an attempt to keep her more comfortable. However, his posture remained as relaxed as he could keep it. No point in scaring her now. She made a comment about not knowing what shoes to wear, and were they going to be walking to their destination?  
He chuckled and shook his head. It wasn't raining, but the mist tonight would ruin a good walk. No, he said, they were taking his car. It was parked just outside her apartment.  
"So where are you taking me for this interrogation Scott?" she asked, his name sounding interesting when it came from her mouth. It had been a long time since anyone but Blake had used his first name when talking to him.  
"Heading over to a favorite place of mine, little Italian place. Good food there. Good wine too, if that's your thing. Not too many people go there, but they know me." He replied, rattling off facts like some damned tourist book. He shut his trap quickly, shrugging awkwardly at the end of his speech. He allowed her out of the elevator first, keeping in step and then holding the door open for her. She shivered as she passed into the foggy night. Yes, driving was definitely the better choice. She obviously didn't like the cold.  
"I'm not one for alcohol, but thanks for the suggestion. I do like Italian though, what's the name of the place? Maybe I've been there before?" She asked as he showed her to his car. He opened the passenger side lock, but figured that she didn't want to be insulted by too much chivalry. Perhaps she was a closet feminist and would think that he didn't believe her capable of getting into a car.  
He climbed behind the wheel of his brown chevy and they drove off.  
"Giovanni's, real original name I know, but the owner's pop was named Giovanni and apparently he started up the place".  
They swapped a few names of original restaurants around town, the good places to go and the places where kitchens weren't fit for rats to eat from. Amber made a gripe about the coffee served at the café she worked at and he chuckled. He found himself not minding the idle conversation. It wasn't relevant to his less tasteful interests, but Constable Shelby should definitely look up some of those restaurants. Or give their names to whoever dealt with that sort of fun.

So far, so painless, Amber reflected. He had opened doors for her and taken her to a nice restaurant with good lighting. He had said it was a little place he knew, and it was true, the entire thing couldn't have been bigger than her apartment. It meant that the smells from the kitchen congregated in the main dining area to make mouths water. The waiter had greeted him happily and slapped them down at a two person table, came back with water and then asked what this gorgeous woman would like to drink with her meal. Apparently they didn't have to ask Scott, as the young man had yelled "SHELBY!" over his shoulder before seating them. She quickly ordered a plate of risotto and said that water was fine for the evening. The man bowed, winked at Scott and then moved away.  
Golden eyes watched her with bemusement as she looked around the place. Checkered table clothes, candles stuck in empty wine bottles and ivy painted along the tops of the cream colored walls. Everything cast in the warm light of the candles and a few low watt bulbs. She had to admit it, he sure knew how to pick a place for the stereotypical romantic dinner.  
Their conversation had managed to flow in the car, and about a topic she knew too well about. Work was easy to talk about, but now it was her turn to ask some questions.  
His precinct, his partner, where he lived and children all came up. He had winced at the mention of his partner, describing him as a colorful character and very Bostonian. She had genuinely laughed when he had said that if she ever had the pleasure to meet him then she should then enjoy the pleasure of walking the other way as quickly as possible. He owned an apartment at the top of a building with a view of the dregs of the city, cheap only because of some leaks that the landlord hadn't been able to fix. Scott had fixed them when he had moved in, but never bothered to tell the landlord. He offered to take her there sometime in the future, but apologized that tonight it was more of a mess than he was comfortable with showing anyone.  
The final knot in her stomach had released at the statement. Intentional or not, he had just eliminated her last worry. He didn't want anything on the first date besides a first date. Another point to Scott Shelby. When she mentioned kids he had gone a little quiet, saying he hadn't grown up in a situation that encouraged him to try and raise anyone.  
After that statement he had brushed the conversation aside with his hand, and their food had conveniently come. Between mouthfuls he had smiled at her and said, "Now, Ms. Goodwin, this was meant to be my interrogation. Can't I ask some questions now?". She had blushed when she realized she hadn't told him to call her by her first name yet, and quickly opened her arms in a way that said 'Go right ahead'. "And please, call me Amber" was thrown in for good measure.  
He asked her about her education, what she had wanted to do when she was young. Had she travelled? What were her boys like?

There. The easiest question to answer. Talking about her boys was like a duck in water. She was not interested in explaining why she was a single mother, and he hadn't asked. Her education was officially limited to a high school degree, but that was only because of the university courses she had attempted to complete over the years had taken more time than her work places would provide. She hadn't done the work, and dropped out of expensive programs. However, she had kept the textbooks and when the boys were younger she had gleaned as much as she could from them. She had, at one point, wanted to be a teacher but with the boys that hadn't been possible. Not that she blamed them, she was quick to say. They were good kids, twins, if he hadn't noticed and very, very smart. Too smart, she thought sometimes. She had said so and he had chuckled, saying something about brothers being a tough combo for any mom. She didn't press for details and soon they were swapping horror stories about dealing with civilians in their prospective work places. He had paid for dinner and then drove her home. He walked her as far as the main apartment entrance and she realized that it was now or never. This was when she chose, heads or tails. She either wanted to see him again, to pursue someone who had a good sense of humor, a sense of justice and more chivalry than any one man should have. Some part of her considered that he was too good to be true. Was this some façade hiding something that was much creepier?

A warm, meaty hand broke her thoughts as he touched her shoulder.

She jumped a little, broken out of her thoughts. It was now or never. Be too forward and he would scare her off. Or, let this game go a little longer to pass the summer months a bit more. He hadn't been bored, which was a surprise. She had been a surprise. More aspiration and action in her than he had seen in anyone for years. He had gone for her shoulder instead of her hand or face. Less intimate, less threatening, he hoped.  
"Would you like to do this again sometime?" He asked, the words coming out without his brain giving them the okay. She had started to say something when he quickly broke in, "Or we could do a movie, you could bring your kids… if you'd like"  
He realized that maybe that was a step too far a second after the sentence had started. One eyebrow had risen and Amber shook her head. Some part of him dropped a little inside. He hadn't been told 'no' in, well, ever.  
"Not on our second date Scott, but I'll introduce you properly sometime. A movie sounds good, call me", The words made him look up in surprise and she kissed his cheek before moving inside.  
It took a good thirty seconds before the expression on his face changed from open mouthed shock.  
So.. he hadn't been told no?  
His consciousness shook it's head and tried to regain lost ground. Of course he hadn't been, he had played the game exactly right. Done everything expected, a good challenge until the next rainy season. Yes, this would improve his severely lacking social skills. Maybe make him seem more normal to anyone watching him. A perfectly innocent cop taking interest in a woman and dating her. Yeah, perfectly innocent.  
He could afford to waste some time on that kind of improvement. It wasn't like he had anything better to do, and it wouldn't get in the way of his hunt. He could dedicate late night hours to such activities. Coupled with a glass of scotch and he had the night set out for him.  
In fact, that sounded like a good finish to the night. As well as looking up a movie that wouldn't be too boring for the both of them. Maybe he'd select a few and let her have the final choice. Yes, that would be a good thing to do, he decided.  
Home first, his brain commanded. Scotch, computer and then bed. Yes, a good plan.


	6. The Interrogation of Sweet Cheeks

Disclaimer: Scott Shelby and Carter Blake are property of Quantic Dream. All other characters belong to me. This story is a non profit work of fanfiction.

That had gone well, she thought.. Better than she had expected, and she said so to Janet the next day. Her co-worker's eyebrows had raised at the mention of a second date and the lecherous grin afterwards suggested the need for a shopping spree.  
Amber immediately cut the heart out of that hydra, stating that her budget would not allow for fancy clothes that made her look pretty. Amber's brown eyes glared forcefully. Janet was no match under a mother's gaze, even though the women were only a few years apart in age.  
"C'mon Amber, what about a nice sweater and a pair of jeans? That's casual, you can wear it again and you'll prove you can pull off more than a slinky black dress!", Janet wheedled at the end of their shift. Amber decided her mother glare needed practice if it hadn't managed to shut Janet up completely. She conceded to buying one sweater, "JUST one, alright?" and made plans to go in the morning before the afternoon shift once the boys had been dropped off.  
When Amber arrived home that evening the smell of warmed up quiche hit her nostrils and the boys were waiting expectantly on the couch. They only ever had dinner ready for her when they wanted something.  
"Alright boys, what is it now?" She ask, deciding to get the painful business out of the way before enjoying her dinner. Her stomach was ready to protest, but the looks on the boys' faces once they pointed to the chair positioned across from them brooked no argument.  
"So!", Reed started,  
"You skillfully avoided the mentioning the date last night mum", Nathan continued in a quieter voice.  
"There nothing to tell sweet cheeks, or are you trying to hide a boyfriend from us, hmm?", Questioned the elder twin.  
Nathan hastily elbowed his brother in the ribs, glowering at him as the louder of the pair quickly apologized. They had discussed beforehand that asking their mother nicely would get them further than an interrogation.  
"Let me get one thing straight. So help me, if you ever call me that again you will be grounded. Until you die." The woman began, knowing that honest concern was one thing. Talking to her like she wasn't the head of the house was another.  
The boy started to apologize again, terror now showing in his eyes. She held up her hand and rose her brows, silence greeted her as Nathan shoved Reed again.  
"The man I went out with last night is a cop. That same guy we bumped into ages ago that helped us back in the rain", she paused and let the information sink in.  
The boys looked at one another, faces pulled into matching expressions of confusion. Moments passed by, and Amber was struck by that too frequent feeling that she was being left out of a conversation. The boys had always done that, but it never made the tug in her stomach any less uncomfortable when she realized they were communicating by expression and body language alone.  
Nathan turned back first, moving slowly. Almost as if he was trying to avoid spooking a wild animal, his words were soft and calculated, "Is he going to be coming back?".  
The guarded fear in Nathan's eyes was difficult to see. Amber had staunchly avoided bringing random men into the boy's lives for just this reason. The lack of a father in their lives would only ring louder if she was with someone who wasn't their dad. Reed was looking at the ground, his hands clenched in little fists. His lips were moving back and forth along his face, like he was chewing something particularly tough.  
"I don't know if Scott is going to be spending much time with you two Nathan, I don't know him that well yet," Amber started, wanting to reassure the boys that they were at least safe, "But I had a really nice time tonight, and I'm going to go see a movie with him sometime". There, concise and clear. No room for misinterpretation. Scott had gotten her home before eleven, they hadn't spent the night together. As far as first dates went, this was a calm start. Exactly what the boys would need to see, she hoped.  
Reed finally looked up and Amber braced herself for his two cents. Rarely was Reed as cautious with his words as Nathan was. To be fair, they shouldn't have to be, they were only ten. Part of her lamented at the maturity both boys seemed to be taking on so quickly.  
"If he sticks around mom, he's going to have to see us. We don't get to see you that much, and we wanna make sure he's going to be nice", the words came out in a rush. No accusations of trying to give them a dad. Amber was almost pleasantly surprised, if she hadn't started to feel the day wearing on her. Bed was calling, and the boys would be awful to get up as it was.  
"I know, Reed. I just want to make sure he's worth bringing home to my main men", her lips quirked at his and she rose out of the chair. Her extended hands brought the boys with her, and she started to lead them to their room.  
"If all goes well after the movie, I'll make sure to invite him over for dinner some time, okay boys?" she placated, rubbing their backs as her pair nodded their consent. Reed seemed content with the answer, particularly since it meant a guaranteed fresh cooked dinner. Nathan was not so appeased, but seemed to know that bugging mom when she was tired was a poor choice. Both boys climbed back into bed, allowing Amber to tuck them in and kiss their foreheads with no complaint of being too old. Whispers of 'I love you' trailed around the room, and the boys' nightlight cast away shadows of fear as Amber closed their door.  
~~~

She sagged against the wall by the boys' door. The sigh of relief and exhaustion barely held in check by the knowledge that the boys could hear her through paper thin walls. The huge yawn that proceeded afterwards was not so easily held in, and Amber decided to deal with supper dishes after she had taken the boys to school. Perhaps after her shift at the grocery store, she'd actually have some time then, before picking the boys up and getting to the diner for the evening shift.

For now though, bed. Carefully hanging up her uniform and putting away her shoes and stockings, Amber reflected on the evening. A nice guy, who didn't push boundaries and didn't run at the fact she had two kids and no husband? She shook her head as she slipped into flannel pajamas and crawled into bed. A second date might give her some more information. She had to be absolutely certain he wasn't a crazy before she allowed him to spend any period of time with Nathan and Reed.


End file.
